Means for controlling the admission of coins to coin-receptacles.



No. 851.282. PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

0. S.-ELLIS & P. D. POWELL.

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ADMISSION 0F COINS TO GOIN REGEPTAGLES.

APPLICATION FILED Armiza. 1904.

/9 26 I .1. I 2/ I .31 14 2g /\3 5 79 3 ,1 20 79 24 25 27 22 I UNiTEnSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. ELLIS AND FRANK D. POW ELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORSTO THE AMERICAN COIN REGISTER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed August 25, 1904. Serial No- 223,301.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES S. ELLis and FRANK D. POWELL, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new, useful, and Improved Means forControlling the Admission of Coins to Coin-Receptacles, of which thefollowing is a description, reference being had to the TO accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which correspondingletters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

In the use of coin receptacles adapted to I5 receive coins of differentvalues, it'often occurs through carelessness, or otherwise, that a coinis placed in the wrong passageway or that two or more coins are insertedin the same slot, thereby clogging the mechanism and causing confusionand expense.

The object of our invention is to overcome this difficulty and toprovide means whereby the placing of a coin in a given slot may serve toblock all of the other passages so that no coin can be introduced intoanother slot until that placed in a given one is passed into the coinreceptacle.

A further object is to provide means for Withholding the passage to thecoin receptaole of a second coin introduced into a given slot until thefinal discharge of a. preceding coin from the same slot or way.

To these ends our invention consists in the combination of elementshereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is an elevation of the mechanism adapted toreceive and con vey the coin to the receptacle, said mechanism beingenclosed within a suitable case, a portion of which is shown in section,Fig. 2, is a like view showing the controller or regulator in adifferent position, Fig. 3, is a vertical sectional view taken upon theline 3-, Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrow there shown, Fig.1, is a like view showing certain movable parts in different positions,Fig. 5, is a detached view of the secondary coin controller, and Fig. 6,is a bottom view of the main coin controller.

Referring to the drawings 1. represents a portion of the enclosing caseor wall of the re ceptaele which may be of any predetermined size orshape; and, inasmuch as our invention relates to the means forcontrolling the introduction of the coins into the coin slots and chutesand their movements from thence until their final discharge from theintermediate mechanism into the receptacle, we have not deemed itnecessary to show more of said receptacle than that in which the coinslots are formed. WVithin said receptacle or case is rigidly secured inany approved way, a frame 2, in which may be mounted any Well knownmeans for arbitrarily engaging and passing the coin from the coin-chutesinto the receptacle. In the example shown we have illustrated twoco-aoting rollers 3, I, which are j ournaled in said frame and adaptedto be operated from without the casing in a manner well known Attachedto and supported by the frame 2 above the coin rollers, is an inclinedplate 5, which is ex.

tended downwardly into the bight of the rollers 3, 4, to formcoin-chutes as hereinafter described. Said plate is provided withupturned flanges 6, 6, which are connected at their upper ends by meansof a horizontal cross-bar 7. A guard, generally designated by S, isrigidly attached to and extended upwardly from the flanges 6, said guardbeing provided with a series of intermediate curves 9,10 and 1 1, thearcs of which correspond substantially in degree to those of thecircumferences of the several coins provided for. The lower edges ofsaid guards are of a sufficient height above the plate 5 to permit thepassage of coins between the two. A sliding guard or movable controller,generally designated by 12, is placed loosely upon the inclined plate 5,said controller being provided at its upper end with upwardly extendedlugs 13, 13 having bores therein for the passage of a guide rod 14, theends of which are secured at 15, 15, respectively, in the stationaryguard 8. Parallel ribs 16, 16, form portions of the part 12 the bottomof which are adapted to lie flatly upon the plate 5 and to formdivisions, as hereinafter described, between the coin-chutes. The lowerends 17, 17, of said ribs or divisions project loosely beneath a rod 18the ends of which are attached to the flanges 6, 6, above the plate 5.Said controller is provided with a flat portion 19 which is adapted tolie beneath the bar 7 with suIIicient space between the two for thepassage of a coin. The upper face of the part 19 is flush with the loweredges of the several coin-slots 20, 21 and 22, Figs. 1 and 2,

formed in the case 1. The depth of the division ribs 16 corresponds tothe thickness of the coin and a flat guard-plate 23, preferably integralwith the parts 16, is located above said parts to prevent the coins frombeing thrown out of the coin chutes.

The coin-slots 20, 21 and 22 are made of sizes to receive nickels, dimesand quarters respectively, the slot 2]., for dimes, being locatedbetween the other two. The space be tween the ribs 16, 16 is sufficientto permit the passage of a dime, but the width of the divisions 16, 16,is considerably greater than that of the divisions 24 and 25 between thecoin slots while the width of the entire controller is considerably'lessthan that of the plate 5 between the flanges 6, 6, the inner edges ofwhich register with the outer edges of the coin-slots 20 and 22. Uponthe upper face of the part 19 of the controller at the up per end, areformed divisions 26, 27, which are in alignment with the divisions 16and of the same width. Said parts are so placed that when the controlleris in the position shown in Fig. 1, the opposite faces thereof willregister as-shown with the opposite faces of the divisions 24 and 25 ofthe dime-slot. When so adjusted a dime may be passed through the slot 21into the passage 28, between the bar 7 and part 19, when, strikingagainst the uard 10, it falls upon the upper end of the plate 5 andslides down the chute beneath the part 23 into the bight of the rolleras shown in Fig. 3, in which 29 indicates the coin. When the controlleris set to permit the passage of a dime, a portion of the part 26 extendspast the division 24 opposite the coin-slot 20 and the part 27 projectsin an opposite direction past the division 25, thereby covering aportion of the coin-slot 22. It will thus be seen that while thedime-slot is open, the other two are blocked by the controller. It isessential that the controller should be locked in position until afterthe final discharge of a coin from any one of the slots. This we areenabled to accomplish by means of the lugs 30, 30," formed upon thelower end of the plate 5 in alignment with the separating parts 24, 25.A dime being placed in the slot 21 descends until its edge is broughtinto contact with the rollers 3, 4, as shown in Fig. 3, when it is heldbetween the lugs 30 and also between the lower ends of the parts 16. Itis obvious that the controller mustbe locked by means of the interveningcoin against lateral movement until the coin is discharged; but, untilsuch discharge occurs, it is impossible to introduce a coin into eitherof the other slots. As soon, however, as the coin is discharged, thenthe proper coin may be introduced into anyone of the several slots.Assuming the coin to have been discharged and the controller to be inthe position shown in Fig. 1, the introduction of a quarter into slot 22will, upon being brought into contact with the part 27, cause thecontroller to be moved laterally to the position shown in Fig. 2, whenthe coin is free to pass into the chute. In that case one edge of thecoin is in contact with the lug 30 and the other against the flange 6.It is obvious, therefore, that the controller cannot be moved until thedischarge of the coin and hence the slots 20 and 21 will be blockeduntil such discharge occurs. Vere a nickel to be introduced into theslot 20 the slots 21 and 22 would be obstructed until its discharge.

It is, of course, understood that wherever a coin is introduced it canonly be discharged into the receptacle proper by actuating the rollerswhich, obviously, may be connected with any well known form ofregistering mechanism. Vhile, however, it is impossible to introduce acoin into but one slot at a time, there is nothing to prevent theinsertion of two or more coins in succession in any given slot; and, inorder to prevent the machine from becoming clogged, as well as toseparate the successive coins to enable them to be registered, ifdesired, we provide means for withholding a secondary coin until thedischarge of that'preceding it. Pivoted to lugs 31, Figs. 3 and 4, uponthe bottom of the plate 5 is an U-shaped guard 32, a top view of whichis shown in Fig. 5. The object in making it U-shaped is to enable theopen portion to register with the opening 33 in the plate 5 beneath thedime-chutewhich is intended to divert, in the usual way, improper coinsor slugs. Corresponding openings 34,

35, are also shown in said plate for the nickel and quarter chutes. Uponthe lower end of the guard 32 is formed an extension 36 which is adaptedto project into a notch 37 formed in the roller 4, which, when theroller is in its initial position, as shown in Fig. 3, enables the guard32 to fall away from the plate in the manner represented, which is itsnormal position. Upon turning the roller, as shown in Fig. 4, the part36 is throvm out of the notch with its end resting upon the periphery ofthe roller, thus raising said guard to the position shown in saidfigure. Upon the upper face of said guard, near its lower end is formeda series of bosses or upwardly projectin pins 38, 39 and 40, which pinsare of such a iength and so positioned that when the guard is lifted,they will project respectively into the chutes 20, 21 and 22, into'thepathway of the coins immediately above a coin which may be in contactwith the rollers and below the next succeeding coin in the chute, asshown in Fig. 3, in which a second ,coin 41 is shown lying in the chuteabove the coin 29. In Fig. 4, said coin is shown as being withheld bythe pin 39, while the coin 29 is represented in the act of passingbetween the rollers. Then the roller 4 is rotated sufficiently to permitthe projection 36 to fall into the notch 37, the coin 29 will have beendischarged and the guard 32 will have fallen to permit the coin l1 topass over the pin 39 into the bight of the rollers.

In order to provide for the upward movement of the pins well as for thelateral movement of the controller, we lorm. depressions 42, 43, Figs.3, i and 6, in the under face of the part The relative positions of thepins 38, 39 and 40 with respect to the several coin chutes, areindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that While thecoin controller is adapted to be moved laterally with respect to thecoin chutes, the pins upon the guard 32 sustain fixed relation theretoexcept in their up and down movement.

From the foregoing it will be seen that if the coin chutes are free, acoin adapted thereto may be deposited in any one ol the coin chutesregardless of the position of the controller, inasmuch as the lateralpressure of the proper coin will move the controller to a registeringposition; that it will be locked in such registering position by thecoin deposited until the discharge of the coin, and while so locked nocoin can be inserted in either of the other slots, and that other coinsdeposited in the same slot will be automatically and successivelywithheld until the discharge of the preceding coin.

\Ve do not confine ourselves to the means shown for discharging the coinnor to that described for moving the guard. 32, as it is obvious thatsuch means may be varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1 1. The combination witha receptacle having coin slots for coins of dill'erent values, of aninclined plate in operative proximity thereto and a laterally movableelement arranged to slide thereon to open any predetermined coin-slotand obstruct the others. The combination wi h a receptacle having coinslots of varying size for the reception of coins of d'i'l'l'crentvalues, of a laterally movable coin controlled element having coinguides for directing the dill'erent coins from the slots to thereceptacle, said guides being so arranged with respect to said slotsthat but one can register with a given slot during the introduction andpassage of a coin.

3. The combination with a receptacle having coin-slots ct varying sizeor the reception of coins of dillerent values, oi a laterally movableelement having coin guides, one cl. which is adapted to register withone ol? said slots while the others are out of registration therewith,and means for limiting the lateral movement of said element.

4. The combinz'rtion with the receiving slots of a coin-receptacle, ol'-a coin way com mon to all of said slots, said way leading therefrom tosaid receptacle and a laterally movable coin guide located within saidway, said guide being arranged. to register with any predetermined. oneoil said slots while blocking the others, and means for locking saidguide in a prciletermined position by the action of a coin .lrom thetime of its introduction until it is discharged.

The combination with the receiving slots and, ways of a coin receptaclehaving a plurality ol" coin slots, ol a movable element adapted toregister with any predetermined one oi said coin-slots while blockingthe others, and means for locking said element in. position by means ofan inserted coin until the discharge of said coin into the receptacle.

6. The combination with the receiving slots and ways oi a coinreceptacle lfor coins of dillerent values, of a movable element arrangedto register with any predetermined one of said slots while blocking theothers, means for arbitrarily discharging said coin from the way intosaid receptacle, and means for withholding a second coin until thedischarge of the first.

7. The combination with the receiving slots and ways of a coinreceptacle for coins of different denominations, of a laterally movablecoin controller interposed in the paths of the coins, said controllerbeing movable into registration with a given slotby the action ol" acoin introduced therein, while the remaining portions are moved out ofregistration with the other slots, means for positively dischargingcoins from the ways into the receptacle and means controlled by saiddischarging means, for withholding all but the foremost coin in a givenway until the discharge of said foremost coin.

S. The combination with a receiving slot and way ol a coin receptacle,ot' means [for positively discharging a coin from said way into thereceptacle, and means, actuated by said controlling means torautomatically withholding a subsequently deposited coin in said wayuntil the discharge of a preceding coin therelrom.

9. The combination with a receiving slot and ways of a coin rraxeptacle,of rollers for positively engaging and discharging .a coin from said wayinto said receptacle and a pivoted guard having a projection adapted toextend into said way to engage a coin, but normally out of the path ofrid coin, and means upon one oi said rollers for actuating said guard towithhold a subsequent coin during the discharge ot a preceding one.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses, this 20th. day of August, 1904i.

CHARLES S. ELLIS FRANK l). POVIELL.

\Vitnesses:

D. ll. Ftrrrennn, C. E. JORDAN.

